English Reference
Noun

inactivation

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /ˌɪˌnæktɪˈveɪʃən/ in·ac·ti·va·tion UK spelling inactivations

n.the process of making something stop working or become less active. In science, it often describes how a virus or a chemical loses its power to cause harm.

n.the process of rendering a substance, organism, or mechanism ineffective or non-functional. Often refers to the neutralization of biological agents like viruses or enzymes.


SIMPLE

The vaccine uses inactivation to stop the virus from spreading.

CONTEXTUAL

Researchers are studying the inactivation of specific genes to understand how they affect the body's immune response.

COMPLEX

The rapid inactivation of the enzyme by high temperatures explains why the chemical reaction ceases immediately once the heat source is removed.

Cats are already known for lacking a "sweet tooth," but this marks the first recorded case in felids involving the inactivation of genes tied to sour taste perception.

ScienceDaily· 8 Sept 2026

The experiments revealed that the histone variant H2A.W promotes DNA methylation at transposons, facilitating their inactivation.

Phys.org· 17 Aug 2026

From in- + activation or inactive + -ation.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated